Around the bend was a Civil War scene; the only one of its kind known to have been designed by Tracy. It included the firing cannons and building fragments of a fort under siege. Flashing red spot lights inside the rubble added to the effect.


Right: The last known surviving remnant of the Riverboat’s Civil War scene is this battle drum on display in the Crescent Park carousel pavilion.
A turn to the right brought riders to a scene completely retooled by Minor, under orders from Simmons. Tracy’s schematic called for a straight run down a dark corridor towards a spotlight as the warning whistle sounds of an approaching locomotive played overhead, suggesting an impending collision. When the car got to the spotlight, it would take a sharp turn to the right, bringing riders out of danger. But Simmons wanted an actual collision, so he had Minor paint the walls of the corridor with scenery, suggesting the car was traveling down a country road, and install subtle lighting overhead. Then he had Minor convert the spotlight into a crossing warning sign with a flashing red light and bell. Dody’s extended locomotive sound hit was retained, so as riders headed toward the flashing signal, they knew they were going to cross train tracks; which way the train was coming was the only question. The turn to the right brought riders into a set of double doors, crafted by Minor to resemble the frontage of an old locomotive.

The next two scenes connected riders with New Orleans' pirate legacy. It was Tracy’s “Pirate Walking The Plank” stunt – a life-size pirate, partially blindfolded, at the end of plank.
Below left: Pirate scene from Tracy's catalog. Right: Actual scene in Crescent Park Riverboat.
Pirate Riverboat Crescent Park
He was flanked by cutout sharks, and the backdrop was a wooden pirate ship with pirates peering out of the portholes, cheering at the execution. As the car approached the scene, the pirate let loose an ear-piecing scream. And with the help of compressed air, appeared to fall off the end of the plank. (Similar scenes were found in Dorney Park’s Bucket O’ Blood and Whalom Park’s Pirate’s Den.)

Riders then headed to ocean’s bottom where they met up with the same pirate, now decomposed and sitting on top of an overloaded treasure chest. The skeletal pirate beckoned at riders as they approached.

Next up was a voodoo woman who was apparently responsible for all the mayhem. The woman, actually Tracy’s Sorceress stunt, nodded to riders as she stirred a head in her cauldron as two bats flew overhead. The bats were created and installed by Ed. “I felt the scene needed one more element,” he recalled. Below left: Pirate skeleton scene in Crescent Park Riverboat. Right: Sorceress catalog image.

Riders suddenly found themselves in a Bourbon Street bar during Mardi Gras where the bartender stared at the heaving cleavage of a well-endowed bar maid (an effect usually found in the femme fatale in Tracy’s Torture Chamber). A drunken patron slept it off at his table while in the corner, a bouncer chased a deadbeat customer out the door. It was Tracy’s first installation of his Victorian Bar scene.

Above left: Catalog photo of Bar Scene.

Above right: Photo of actual Crescent Park Riverboat bar scene after relocation to Western Funhouse.

Right: Trade ad showing Tracy pouring a beer on the floor of the bar scene while leering at female figure.